Method of extracting metallic ores and matte.



-. many, have invented certain new and useful ores or from ores of. similar composition the furnaces so as to form matte or conrntrated EMIL GUNTHER A'ND RUDOLF FRANKIE, or EISLEBE'N, GERMANY.

METHOD OF EXTRACTING METALLIC GEES AND MATTE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed June 18. 1907. Serial No. 379.536.

Patented Dec. 31, 1907..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EMiL Gi'iNTHER and RUDoLF FRANKE, residents of Eisleben, Ger- Irn rovements in Methods of Extracting M etallic Ores and Matte, of which the following is aspecification.

The invention is directed more particularly to the treatment of copper and nickel ores and to matte produced from such ores and aims at the production of pure copper and pure nickel.

The ni -kel ores which at resent are available for the production of nickel are-substam tially garnierite and nickel and copper containing magnetic pyrites. In order to produce pure nickel and pure copper from said ores are, in a preferred form of carrying out the invention, smelted together in suitable nickel or nickel co per regulus. On smelting together the two lands of ores the magnetic pyrites afford the sulfur for converting thegarnierite into regulus, whereas the garnierite affords the silicic-acid for converting the excess of bases contained in the pyrites into slag. By employing suitable proportions of garnierite and pyrite it becomes ossible to convert the ores into regu 1S wit out addi' tion of further substances. However it may beadvantageous to add ores of precious metals, this being a way to obtain the precious metals from said ores in a very economical manner. In the production of the concentrated copper nicke. regulus it is imortant to takecare that the iron which may be contained in the ores is converted into slag as far as possible;

The concentrated copper nickel regulus is subjected to electrolytic action, the regulus being used as anode in a bath of sulfate ofcopper with free sulfuric acid; the cathode being formed of a sheet of copper. At the anode iron copper and nickel are dissolved; the precious metals, sulfur, silicic acid, small portions of metallic sulfid etc. form the constituents of the solid residue of the anode or of the anode slime. T he anode' slime is washed out and dried and treated with a suitable solvent for the sulfur. The residue, after extraction of the sulfur, may further 'be treated for recovering the precious constituents. In a preferred form of treating the said residue of the anode slime the residue is slightly roasted so as to obtain the metals copper, nickel, iron etc. substantially in the form of oxid and the silver in the form of sulfate.

After roasting the residue is treated with the spent electrolyte of the electrolysis of sulfate of copper with the effect that the free sulfuric acid is neutralized and the oxids converted into sulfates. The insoluble remaining fiortion containing metallic silver, gold, sma portions of sulfids, sand etc. is then treated by any of the well known methods to extract the precious metals. The sulfate containing solution is treated with copper tailin s with the effect that the silver contains therein is deposited. The other metals are separated by fractionated crystallization and chemical deposition. It is advisable to eliminate the last traces of copper by nickel sponge. One obtains a technically pure sulfate of copper and nickel sulfate free of copper.

At the negative pole pure copper is deposited. In view of the fact that more copper is deposited at the cathode than dissolved at the anode, it is necessary to continuously or intermittently introduce co per sulfate into the electrolyzing vat. Suc copper sulfate is partly obtained by the above described treatment of anode slime; the additional quantity required may be manufactured from copper pyrite. v

' During the progress of electrolysis the electrolyte becomes more and more rich in nickel.- When. a desired degree of concentration in nickel salt is reached the electrolyte is drawn off and fresh copper sulfatesolution introduced into the vats.

That portion of the spent electrolyte which is not used for treating the anode slime is treated in the following manner: The copper is extracted by evaporation, crystalliza,

tion and subsequent electrolysis with insoluble anodes with exception of a small proportion. The remaining liquid containing nickel sulfate, much free sulfuric acid, a small por- S0 is formed which changes into H 80 It is advisable to insure circulation of the electroly to and to neutralize any excess of acid outside the electrolytic tank by suboxid of ent forms of nickel ores, such as garnierite and nickel and copper containing magnetic pyrites 1n forming anodes for electrolytically extracting the metals contained therein, we can also use concentrated nickel regulus pro-' duced from one sort of ore alone and proceed in the manner hereinbefore described' Having now described our invention, what we claim and desire to 'secure by Letters Patent is: 4

1. The method of extracting metals from ores and matte consisting in'subjecting copper and nickel containing matte or concentrated copper nickel regulus to electrolytic action as anode in an electrolytic bath con taining sulfate of copper containing free sulfuric acid, roasting the formed anode slime, treating the roasted slime with spent electro' lyte of said'electrolytic process and using the solution obtained in this Way as electrolyte in an electrolytic process with-copper nickel regulus anodes. y y

2. The method of extracting metals from ores consisting in smelting together garnierite and nickel and copper containing magnetic pyrites so asto form concentrated'cop er nickel regulus; subjecting said copper 1110 el regulus to electrolytic action as anode in an electrolytic bath containing copper sulfate and free sulfuric acid,'roasting the formed anode slime, treating the roasted product with spent electrolyte of such electrolytic process using the solution obtained in this way as electrolyte in an electrolytic process per, the last portions of copper and other im purities being'thrown down by suboxid of nickel containing substances and electrolyzing the resultingsolutio'n of pure sulfate/ of nickel with insoluble anodes;

In witness whereof We havehereunto set with copper nickel 'regulus anodes,.purifying' I the electrolyte when rich in nickel from cop- 

